GREATER CO-OPERATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16895, 27 November 1925, Page 9

GREATER CO-OPERATION.

BUSINESSMEN AND GOVERN A IE NTS. A MUST ACTIVE YEAR. IJI AM B EliJ OF (JG'AIAIERt E CONFERENCE. tJ’e-i l’icss Association.! DUNEDIN, last night. Tlmi: was a large attendance oi delegates and visitors at the Mnuicipal Council Chambers this morning for the opening of the annual conference of the Association of New Zealand t hampers of Commerce. Among those present were Gapt. A!. C. .1. Moore, Kecrelarv-General of the British Commission at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition: Air J. \Y. Collins (Secretary to the Department of Industries and Commerce and New Zealand Commissioner lo the Exhibition); and ATr L. A. Johnston (private secretary to the Hon. \V. Downio Stewart, .Minister of Customs and of Industries and Commerce, who was unable through illness to attend the conferalso a. number of ladies. A hearty civic welcome was tender ed to the visiting delegates and thenwives, and lo other visitors, by the Mayor (Air If. L. Tapley). Mr W. Alachiu (president of the Canterbury Chau her) replied to the welcome of the Mayor. lie expressed appreciation of the elfurts made by Hie local Chamber of Commerce and the citizens of Dunedin fur the comfort and convenience of delegates. The speaker uenl on to refer to tile important part, which the businessmen of Dunedin have played in the economic life of tho Dominion. (Hear, hear.) There was evidence of this largeness of view and the business capacity of the people in a striking form.

The president said llicir order was a fairly extensive one At Hie Manga mi i conference last yiTnr they had on the order paper sixty-one remits; today they had an order paper of liftythroe remits. lie thought that lie might fairly say that the year now ended had been fho most active year in the history of tho New Zealand Associated Chambers of Commerce. Hie executive had held seven meetings during the year, which was a larger number Hum they had ever held before in one year, and he thought that it had been clearlyjiroved during the year that the. influence of the Association was greater--as it ought to he—than any that could possibly he exercised by miv individual Chamber of Commerce. (Applause.) He could not help pointing out to them just one or two features of the history of. Chambers of Commerce, and of commerce generally, that were worth noticing. One of the most striking of those features appeared to him to be that not only in New Zealand, but throughout the Empire and the world generally, increasing co-operation was being brought about between iho commercial communities of the Various countries and their respective, Governments, and also between tho commercial communities and the Governments of tho different portions of the Empire. (Applause.) They had with them that day fbr iu.cnneo. and had had present at previous meetings, representatives of the Government Departments concerned with industry and commerce, and he was’glad to know that to-day, instead of a, feeling of antagonism, or at least a constant feeling of irritation arid criticism existing between the Governments and themselves, they were welcoming representatives of these Departments tV their meetings. (Applause.) This harmonious working between the Departments of State and tho commercial community was, to his mind, very pleasant and very promising as regards tho work of the future. (.applause.) W ORDD-WID E I’R OR LEMS.

The speaker, emit inning, said lie noted also'that tho Federation of British Industries. in thanking Mr Churchill for the removal of the embargo on foreign loans, had drawn atltention to .the depreciated condition of the currencies of different countries, which gave those countries an unfur advantage over British manufacturers. That showed that the problems of commerce were becoming world-wide problems. The president referred also to the establishment some time ago of the International Association of Chambers of Commerce which, lie said, was another indication of the world-wide interests of eonunei'eial men and of the fact (hat commercial men throughout (lie world had come togethej- and realised that they were not to , be separated by national or other boundaries. (Anplause.) The conference dealt with about half of the rciniljS (luring tho sitting. INCIDENCE OF TAXATION. 'Dealing with the. incidence of luxation. thi! conference reaffirmed its previously expressed opinion (hat it graduated tax upon the income of individuals in contradistinction to one upon the income of corporations in

which they only have an interest, is tho fairest and least oppressive taxation to the primary amt secondary producer alike. Tho conference expressed keen disappointment at tho continued failure of the Government to give effect to the recommendations of the Royal Commission mi taxation. A resolution was also passed protesting against the freedom from taxation enjoyed by institutions controlled by the S-tat-e,. and local bodies. A proposal that- the income tax exemption to unmarried persons be tixed at £3OO was carriedThe conference urged' that the existing indV'femlibk' differentiation in favor of debentures issued prior to 1925 be discontinued. LOWER TELETHON E CHARGER ADVOCATED. Lower telephone charges were advocated, and a proposal adopted that when surplus results from the telephone branch of the I’, and T. Department, a concession on the annual rates be given users. Tho revision of bankruptcy legislation was advocated. A remit in connection with the present rati- of twopence on cheques and receipts, that- air effort bo made to procure a penny duty, was approved. 'lhc Government was urged to amend the list of statutory bank holidays to confront to those of other commercial institutions. A proposal that, banks should close at noon on Saturday instead df 11.50 was defeated. The conference reaffirmed its previous resolution regarding the desirability oi iiic Government inviting tenders by ad\ertisement in the usual mariner for goods, etc. The need! for greater publicity abroad was strongly stressed, thus assisting in the- prosperity and progress of the Dominion. Members of I lie conference in the evening visited the Exhibition. The conference will resume to-mor-row and will adjourn lo attend the memorial service at SI. Paul’s Cnthndral to the late Queen Mother. The chief outing on Saturady will he to Waipori, where the delegates will be shown what lias been done by the City Council in exploiting the possibilities of Waipori as a wonderfully sueccssfu. hydro-electric scheme. The outlay on Waipori tip to the present is well over